Fly-tipping

How to prevent and report illegally dumped rubbish.

What is fly-tipping?

Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of items. It can range from a single item to a whole lorry load of waste.

Fly-tipping is a criminal offence that carries a fine of up to £50,000 (unlimited if the case goes to the Crown Court) or even prison.

If your waste is fly-tipped, even by someone else on your behalf, you could still face a fixed penalty notice.

Do you think you have ever been guilty of fly-tipping?

It's likely we all have. Have you ever left items in the following places:

beside street bins and recycling banks
on the floor of communal bin areas
outside closed recycling centres and charity shops
outside your home on public footpaths

This is fly-tipping!

One way to combat fly-tipping is to follow the SCRAP code.

Prevent fly-tipping with the SCRAP code

The SCRAP code applies to everyone. We all have a legal duty of care to ensure our household or business waste is disposed of correctly, and we each have a role to play in preventing fly-tipping.

SCRAP stands for:

S - Suspect

Don't let anyone take your rubbish until they give you proof that they are legitimate. Also, note their vehicle's registration plate.

C - Check

You can check whether they are a registered waste carrier on the Environment Agency's website.

R - Refuse

If you suspect that someone who you have spoken to will be disposing of waste illegally, refuse to use their services, and instead report them to the Environment Agency.

A - Ask

Always ask for evidence of how your rubbish will be disposed of.

P - Paperwork

Ask for paperwork that includes a description of the waste being removed and the waste carrier's contact details. This paperwork could be a:

proper invoice
waste transfer note
receipt

Passing on your waste not your responsibility

The rubbish you've passed onto someone else is still your legal responsibility until it's correctly disposed of. This means you can be prosecuted even if your waste is fly-tipped by someone else who's dealing with it on your behalf.

Always use a registered waste carrier to collect your rubbish. You can find them through adverts and online searches. The SCRAP code will help avoid your waste being dumped illegally.

Builders, tradespersons, or gardeners who transport waste on your behalf after doing a job for you must be registered waste carriers and dispose of these materials responsibly. Ask to see their waste carrier licence. If they don't have one, don't use them.

Watch our short film about how we're working with district councils to SCRAP fly-tipping

Report fly-tipping

If you see a fly-tip, make a note of where it is, take a photo if you can and report it to your local district council:

Your local district council will investigate fly-tipping and other waste related offences. The exception is illegal waste disposal sites run by the landowner or the persons controlling the land.

Warning

Call the police on 999 if you see a fly-tip in action.

Report illegal waste sites

Fly-tipping is just one aspect of illegal waste activities. Many others take place, such as unpermitted waste sites and burning waste. The Environment Agency will investigate cases and stop rogue traders and illegal activities if there are grounds to do so.

Report these incidents to the Environment Agency on 0800 807060. You can also anonymously report suspected illegal waste services to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

How to get rid of unwanted items

Use our waste wizard to discover what you can do with your unwanted household items.

You can take items to our household waste recycling centres (charges apply for certain DIY waste). We do not accept commercial or trade waste, including waste originating from a business or charity.

Some items can be put out for kerbside collection, or if you can't transport them yourself, you can arrange for collection. Your local district council is responsible for these collections.